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TUKWILA, Wash. Tim Wright Blue Jersey . - When the collapse began last fall, the Seattle Sounders went from MLS favourites to a crumbling club that obviously needed change. Its the byproduct of having an unrivaled fan base and expectations that anything less than a league title is unacceptable for management. "To be honest it was time. Every couple of years a team is going to have to go through changes to grow and you get a certain amount of time with a certain group of players, and if you dont win you change it," Seattle midfielder Brad Evans said. "Most of the time its your star players you try and change and bring them in with other well-known players around the league and thats just the nature of the game and thats the business part of it. It kind of is what it is and we did lose some big names and some very good players but I think weve brought in some great players to fill in the shoes. And I think the group is a little bit stronger." Seattle will go into the 2014 season with the same belief that anything less than an MLS title is not success. But theyll do it with a completely overhauled roster, the result of the slide at the end of 2013. The question of whether changes were needed stretched from the bottom of the roster all the way up to coach Sigi Schmid. Eventually, general manager Adrian Hanauer and majority owner Joe Roth decided keeping Schmid and remodeling the team was the path Seattle would travel. It wasnt a complete overhaul. Evans is still around. So is Lamar Neagle, Obafemi Martins and rising homegrown star DeAndre Yedlin. Midfielder Osvaldo Alsonso was rewarded with a designated player contract and Seattle is about to get its first full season with Clint Dempsey on the roster. But the names that are gone are notable. U.S. national team striker Eddie Johnson is now with D.C. United. Defensive centre backs Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Patrick Ianni are gone. Midfielder Mauro Rosales is now with Chivas USA. Goalkeeper Michael Gspurning is back in Europe. Its a completely new look for Seattle and only success on the field will determine whether the right choices were made. "Its not really up to me what changes we make on the roster but the new guys have been great and very positive," Yedlin said. "They are good players and Im excited to see what they can bring to the team." The additions made by Seattle arent on the same level as the move last summer to bring Dempsey back from Europe. But they could end up being more important. Up front, Seattle brought in veteran striker Kenny Cooper, along with Chad Barrett and Tristan Bowen. In the midfield, Seattle acquired Marco Pappa through allocation when he decided to return to MLS from Europe. Chad Marshall, who played for Schmid in Columbus, was acquired in a trade to anchor the middle of Seattles defence. And former Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei was brought in to compete with 41-year-old Marcus Hahnemann for the starting job. "It is pretty obvious the mentality they are going for," Neagle said. "They want to be more aggressive and a lot more pressure and I think the guys theyve brought in have that same mentality, so its nice. Its easy to get on the same page when you have similar guys on the field." While all the roster changes mean some sort of acclimation period, how Dempsey fits during his second season will be watched closely early in the year. His first few months with Seattle late last season were a disappointment as the American star recorded just one goal and one assist in his nine games. Getting fully entrenched as Seattles leader will be difficult this season as well with Dempsey likely getting called away for U.S. national team duties even before training camp for the World Cup in Brazil starts in May. Dempsey may not even be available for Saturdays opener after being called into national team duty for an exhibition match against Ukraine. "Were still getting to know each other. Were still getting to know what the tendencies are of each player, but I like the spirit of the team, I like their attitude," Schmid said. Tavon Wilson Patriots Jersey . Spieth again showed game well beyond his 20 years with a 9-under 63 on the North Course, giving him a one-shot lead over Stewart Cink going into the weekend at the Farmers Insurance Open. Sealver Siliga Blue Jersey . And he thinks its "irresponsible" for the Buffalo Sabres to suggest otherwise. The NHLs new sheriff reacted strongly to complaints from the Sabres on Monday after he elected not to suspend Bruins forward Milan Lucic for his collision with Buffalos Ryan Miller.Each week, The Reporters put their thumbs out to the good and the bad in the world of sports. This week, they discuss Phil Kessels tweet, the great curling career of Kevin Martin, the demise of Manchester United manager David Moyes and video replay in the NBA. Dave Naylor, TSN 1050 My thumb is down to Toronto Maple Leaf Phil Kessel for his tweet this week, since deleted, which read, "night fishing with friends … doesnt get much better." Okay so no one expects Kessel to be sitting in his basement for weeks brooding about what happened during the final month of the season, like so many Leafs fans probably are. But an NHL star tweeting the words "doesnt get much better" about anything besides hockey during the first round of the playoffs is just asking for it. Theres nothing more insulting to fans than the perception that players who are paid millions dont care as much as they do. And true or not, thats the impression Kessels tweet delivered to Leafs fans. Gary Lawless, TSN 1290 My thumb is up to the greatest money player in the history of mens curling, Kevin Martin. Martin retired this week and goes out the winner of four Briers, a world championship, two Olympic medals and a record 18 Grand Slams on the World Curling Tour. Martin revolutionized the game, fought for players rights and was a master strategist. He could throw with big weight or make the finesse come around. The Bear, as the sometimes gruff Martin was known, roared atop mens curling for 25 years and most cowered in the face of his abilities and will. If you had to pick someone to make a shot with the money on thhe line, Martin was your man. Steve Grogan Womens Jersey. Canadian curling was better for his presence. He raised the bar. Others chased but never caught him. Michael Farber, Sports Illustrated My thumb is up, regretfully, to the firing of Manchester United coach David Moyes. Moyes had the toughest act in sports to follow, replacing Sir Alex Ferguson at the helm of one of soccers signature franchise. Like succeeding Vince Lombardi with the Packers or John Wooden at UCLA, this probably was never going to end well. But after 26 years of Sir Alex, Moyes, Fergusons fellow Scot and handpicked successor, lasted just 34 games. Manchester United was a dysfunctional mess under Moyes, losing frequently at Old Trafford and generally playing like a team trying to get its manager fired. Well, lads - mission accomplished.  Dave Hodge, TSN If I havent made myself clear in the past, I am an opponent of any replay system that does not allow for anything and everything to be reviewed. Heres how restrictions hurt the process. Thursday nights NBA playoff game had Atlanta leading Indiana by six points (score was 84-78). Jeff Teague of the Hawks made a three-pointer, but it was subject to review. The refs used video replay to determine two things--was it, indeed, a three and not a two, and was Teague in bounds when he released the ball? Yes, on both counts. But the replay also showed that prior to the shot, Teague had stepped out of bounds--sorry, not reviewable. Sorry, dont get that. The purpose of the review was to determine if the basket should count. Video evidence proved that it shouldnt count. 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